In the previous verse, it was planned that the Religion of Truth must
prevail over all religions, that the Believers should strive heartily in
fulfilling the plan of God Almighty. It has been described in this verse that
the Believers must remain vigilant about “which ways can be used to stop the
prevalence of the Religion of Truth”? Which stoppages
exist in the Path of the Religion? Removing those hindrances is the duty of the
Believers. The Religion of Truth will be lightened automatically.
These hindrances had been working in the previous nations, that is to say; the
Jews and the Christians. It is the reason that the attention has been drawn
unto their present time.

It is commanded that you have believed in God Almighty. Spreading His
Religion is duty of yours. The same duty was of the people before you during
their times. But they could not fulfill it. Its first reason was that their
learned and effectual people were entangled in the greediness and involved in selfishness.

When they had turned away from the world for the duty of the religion,
then they were required not to turn back towards the worldly matters. But they observed:
The people have trust in us and obey our commands, because we are accepted as
the scholars of the religion, so we should receive money and wealth from them
as reprisal of performing such duty.

When the people began to pay them gifts and oblations, then along with
it, they demanded: Tell us commandments; which are useful and beneficial for us.
Their rabbis and monks beheld: Verily we should give them facilities. There is
no loss of us in it; if their demand is fulfilled and we get away the retaliation
as we desire. What can be better than it? Accordingly, they filled their belly,
but could not establish the Path of God Almighty in the world, and in this
manner, the religion was destroyed.

This evil must not spread in the Muslims’ brotherhood. It is the duty
of the doctors and scholars of the religion and the spiritual guides that they
should not ruin the religion due to greediness of the wealth and world, and
deliver only those commandments to the people, which have been prescribed for
them in the Religion of Truth.

Transliterated
Holy Qur’an in Roman Script & Translated from
Arabic to English by Marmaduke Pickthall,
Published by PaakCompany, 17-Urdu Bazaar, Lahore, Lesson collected from Dars e Qur’aan published By Idara Islaah wa Tableegh, Lahore (translated Urdu to English
by Muhammad Sharif)